


every night you're sleeping in my bed

by peachybean



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), F/M, Sharing a Bed, it's literally just that, oogies pt2 tho
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-14
Updated: 2020-06-30
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:22:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,905
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24709027
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/peachybean/pseuds/peachybean
Summary: Aang and Toph share a bed. Multiple times.
Relationships: Aang/Toph Beifong
Comments: 10
Kudos: 142





	1. i. south pole

**Author's Note:**

> Yes - another fic so soon after finishing 'The Headbands'! This idea (among many) has been rolling around in my head for a while! Loosely based off the song "Love Me Like a Friend" by Fly by Midnight. Listening not required, but it is a really good song :)

The group had just reunited in the South Pole to celebrate the rebuilding of the Southern Water Tribe. Under the leadership of Hakoda and the innovation of Sokka, a spectacular and growing town had risen in the place of the small village. It was an impressive feat, having grown exponentially in the span of 3 years.

Toph found herself hating the South Pole for numerous reasons. Not only was it frigid and cold constantly, the blustery arctic winds constantly blew snow into her face, reddening her cheeks and nose. On top of that, she was completely blind in the snow and was forced to wear boots to prevent her from getting frostbite. She was at the mercy of her friends to lead her around the place, a position the independent earthbender found embarrassing. Needless to say, Toph despised the South Pole and was barely tolerating it for the sake of Sokka and Katara.

Yet another snowstorm had rolled into town, and while Katara and Sokka were taking it in stride, Toph was not. Despite the parka and furs Katara had given Toph, the earthbender still found herself chilled to the bone. Thoroughly fed up with lying on her bed wrapped in the furs, Toph decided she needed to find a better source of warmth. She needed a firebender.

Standing up and wrapping the furs around herself, Toph made her way to the door, using the perimeter of the room to find her way. She groped for the cane Sokka had carved for her in anticipation of her arrival and stepped into the hallway. 

_ Now, to the firebender! _ Swiping her cane across the packed snow floor, Toph slowly made her way to the room she remembered Katara assigning to him, two doors down from her own. She whacked the door roughly with her cane.

“Twinkletoes, open the door!”

Between Zuko and Aang, Toph had decided Aang was the better choice to provide the warmth that she needed. Zuko was definitely too rigid to comply with her request. Tightening the furs around herself, she whacked the door again. 

A moment later, she heard the door open.

“What is it, Toph? Do you need help getting somewhere?” His voice was thick with tiredness. Wordlessly, she pushed past him into his room, trailing her furs behind her. He shut the door behind them. “Are you okay, T?”

Sighing, she made her way to his head before flopping onto the mattress, her makeshift fur cape billowing as she did. “I’m cold.” Her cane clattered to the floor. “These furs are so useless. I’m going to freeze to death here.”

“I’m really sorry, Toph! I’m sure it’s pretty hard being here.” Aang’s heart did pang with sympathy for her. He couldn’t imagine how helpless Toph felt unable to see, and he knew she hated having to be led around by someone whenever they strolled the town. “Do you want me to light a fire in your room for you?” He sat next to her on the bed. 

“I’m not sure a fire and a building made of snow mix very well.”

“Oh, heh, you’re probably right.” Aang rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly as his eyes darted to the furs Katara had provided him that were piled on a chair in the corner of the room. “Do you want my extra furs? I don’t find dead animal skins very cozy.”

“I mean, I guess I’ll take them, but I actually came to ask you something.”

_ Toph asking for help? Well, that’s rare! _ “Oh, okay, what is it?”

Without missing a beat, Toph sat up and seemed to look him in the eyes. “Can I sleep with you?”

A furious red blush appeared on Aang’s face as he coughed. He couldn’t believe his ears. Was Toph really asking what he thought she was asking? “S-sleep with me? I...um…!”  _ Spirits, I was not expecting this!  _ He was incredibly grateful that she couldn’t feel his skyrocketing heart rate. She groaned and smacked his arm.

“No, not like that! Jeez, Aang, I just wanted to share your bed with you since you’re a firebender! You’re always so warm, you’d be my personal furnace.” 

“Oh.” A strange mixture of relief and disappointment washed over Aang as he willed himself to calm down. “Why didn’t you ask Zuko then?” 

“Zuko would have been even weirder about it than you and I would have felt kinda weird asking him. So, I’m gonna sleep here with you then, okay?”

It seemed like more of a statement than a question and Aang didn’t think he had much of a choice. If he kicked her out, he was sure he would be paying for it the next day with the bitter temper of the angry earthbender. He let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. “Alright. It seems like you already made up your mind anyway.”

“Sure did.” Toph kicked her boots off and pulled her legs onto the bed. “But I knew you’d probably agree anyway. Wise decision on your part, obviously.”

Aang was glad she couldn’t see him roll his eyes at her. He scooted over to the other side of the bed and slipped beneath the covers. Toph released the furs she was gripping and spread them out on her side of the bed as an extra layer of warmth. She shimmied under the covers and rolled towards Aang. 

“You’re not going to stay on your side of the bed?” He squeaked. 

“Sides of the bed? What are we, 5?” She bumped him with her shoulder as she wiggled closer to him. “Besides, I told you I’m cold. Now, shush! Just go to sleep and let me mooch off your heat.”

“But-!”

“Shh!”

Aang laid in bed stiffly, but Toph didn’t seem to mind. Within a few minutes, her eyes closed and he could feel her gentle and steady breathing against his arm. She was fast asleep and he had never felt more awake and alert. He tried to avoid looking at her sleeping form, but his eyes kept returning to her anyway. He felt awkward watching her sleep.

She groaned and threw an arm across his torso. Aang felt his face burn at the contact. Even while she was sleeping, Toph was making him feel all sorts of ways! He considered moving her arm off of him or shimmying away from her, but was concerned he would wake her up, and he did not want to deal with an irate earthbender this late. Aang shut his eyes and tried to ignore the arm slung across his waist. He hoped sleep would come to him quickly.

* * *

The sun filtered gently through the window and tickled Aang’s face. He yawned and rubbed the sleep from his eyes, ready to begin the day. His body felt heavy, and his eyes drifted next to him and took in the sight of a sleeping Toph Beifong. He suddenly felt more awake as the memories of last night came rushing back to him. 

Toph was still fast asleep, lying on her side facing him. One of her arms was still slung across his waist, the other sprawled out behind her. Her head rested on his upper arm.  _ Well, that must have happened sometime overnight. _ Aang was effectively pinned to the bed by the small earthbender.

Aang debated trying to pull his arm out from under her, but was stymied when Toph rolled onto his elbow. He winced and came to terms with his current situation; he wasn’t going anywhere. He familiarized himself with the ceiling.

About an hour later, Toph stretched and yawned, blinking slowly to dispel the sleep from her eyes. She felt incredibly refreshed. When was the last time she had slept this well? It certainly must have been before she ran away. _Besides, if anyone deserves a good night’s sleep in this frozen hellscape, it’s me._ Agreeing with herself, she stretched her taut limbs out with a satisfied groan, smacking Aang in the face.

“I guess you slept well.” He said, pulling her hand off his face. He hoped that he had succeeded in hiding the annoyance that tinged his voice. 

_ Oof, guess he’s annoyed and now I’m gonna have to deal with that all day. Whatever.  _ Toph rolled towards his voice, hoping she was facing him. “Yeah, I did. Probably the best I’ve slept in months, maybe years. So, thanks for that Twinkletoes.”

“Oh, uh, you’re welcome.”  _ What else are you supposed to say when a girl - Toph! - basically thanks you for sleeping with…  _ he blushed a vibrant red and shook his head  _...next to her!  _

Toph smirked and propped herself up on her elbow. “So, same time tonight?” She sat up and pulled the furs she had left on the covers around herself in preparation for the trek back to her room. “Yes? Okay, great.” 

Aang knew it was futile to attempt to say otherwise. He affirmed her plans and handed her her boots and cane before throwing on an extra layer himself. Once the pair was dressed, he led her to the door before pausing. “If you’re coming back tonight, you can leave the furs here. If you want to, I mean.”

“Alright,” Toph smiled as she threw the furs across the room, missing the bed spectacularly, “but you’re going to have to stick close to me and keep me warm. Katara’s old parka really isn’t cutting it for me.” Holding the cane in one hand, she wrapped her other arm around Aang’s and pulled him towards her. “Now, my personal heater, let’s go get breakfast!”

* * *

The group stayed for a week. Toph didn’t spend one night in her room. 


	2. ii. ship

Toph still hated the swaying of ships. 

Under her feet, the metallic Fire Nation behemoth creaked and groaned as it sliced easily through the waves. Similarly, a wave of nausea rolled over Toph. 

_ Hey, um...Yue, I think it is...it’d be pretty cool if you did me a solid by calming the seas or whatever moon spirits can do. I mean, if not for me, do it for Sokka! Otherwise, I might throw up on him.  _

Toph’s attempt at a prayer did not seem to work, or Yue simply chose to ignore it as Toph’s stomach churned unhappily. She needed to get to a garbage  _ now.  _ Unsteadily, Toph wobbled down the hall of the ship, clutching her stomach with one hand and running her hand along the wall to steady herself with the other. Her stomach began to protest as the waves rocked the ship further.  _ Okay, maybe I’m not going to make it back to my room.  _ Toph swallowed hard and pushed her way into the first open door she came across before stumbling to the garbage bin near the door and heaving. She groaned and wiped her mouth. _ Thanks Yue, thanks for all your help there.  _ Toph slumped against the wall next to the garbage and cradled her head in her hands. 

“Monkeyfeathers! Are you okay, Toph?” 

She supposed that of all the rooms to have stumbled into, Twinkletoes wasn’t the worst. Exhausted, she turned her face towards him. Her pale complexion was a ghastly gray-green pallor and her hair was messy and tangled, winging out haphazardly without her headband to keep it in place. “Do I seem okay?” 

“Erm...not really?” Aang offered carefully as he sat down next to Toph. The boat lurched and Toph gripped the sides of the garbage can as her face turned an unsettling green. It pained Aang to see her this way. He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. “Is there anything I can do for you, Toph?” She gagged into the garbage can. He supposed that was his answer.

Toph wiped her bangs from her face and slumped against the wall, thoroughly exhausted and embarrassed by the ordeal. “I just kinda want to lay down and try to forget I’m on this stupid boat.” The boat bounced on the waves and Toph doubled over before deciding to lie down next to the garbage can. It wasn’t comfortable but it did feel marginally better. Aang smiled sympathetically.

“You can lay on my bed if you want, Toph. It’s definitely way comfier than the floor.” He helped her to her feet and gently guided her to the bed. Toph attempted to protest feebly, but the rocking and swaying of the spirits-forsaken boat tempered her mood against her will. She allowed Aang to place a hand on the small of her back and lay her down on the bed. Toph sighed as she reclined on the bed.  _ Way better than the floor! _

Toph stretched out on the comforter, crossing her hands over her reeling stomach. While the bed was definitely helping her physically, her mind continued to constantly remind her that she was on a boat and that there was  _ nothing  _ the greatest earthbender in the world could do about that! It was absolutely infuriating. 

Aang fluttered nervously around the bed, unsure of what to do now. Should he plump the pillows? Throw a blanket over her? Perhaps he should go get Katara? Maybe she could use her waterbending to help alleviate Toph’s discomfort. His nervous energy was palpable to Toph, who shot a hand out and wrapped it around his arm. “You’re not helping.”

“Is there anything I can do to help? I could go get Katara if you think she might be more helpful, or maybe-”

“Katara can’t help me forget I’m on a stupid ship.” Toph sighed. She tilted her head towards Aang’s voice. “Maybe you can though.”

“Me?” Aang asked, dumbfounded. “How?”

“I mean, you could read me a story...or I GUESS I wouldn’t mind listening to you talk about how life was 100 years ago.” She paused. “You’re good about describing things to me. It might help me take my mind off things.”

_ Was that...a genuine compliment from Toph Beifong?  _ Aang couldn’t remember the last time - if there had ever been a time - that Toph had complimented him genuinely about something besides fighting. Even then, those compliments were hard to earn and usually veiled behind sarcasm and accompanied with a punch. Aang couldn’t hold back his smile at the compliment. “Sure, I’d love to. I could tell you an air nomad legend! Kind of a combination of the two things you suggested.”

“Whatever will get my mind off things.” Toph rolled over to make space for Aang, who reclined next to her on the bed. Aang pulled the blanket that had been kicked to the bottom of the bed up to cover their laps and laughed. “Okay, okay! Now, long long ago, there was a young monk named Yefir…”

* * *

“...And that’s why air nomads are such great bakers!” Aang concluded his story with a smile. “Pretty interesting, don’t you think, Toph?” 

“Hmm, yeah, I guess it is.” She conceded. “Now I’m kinda craving a fruit pie. You should make me one sometime.”

Aang laughed. “Of course, T! Any flavor you want. Oh, that reminds me about this time my mentor, Gyatso, and I pranked some of the other monks with fruit pies!” 

“Pfft, how? Did you leave the pit in the peach or something?”

“Well, it was Monk Qi’s birthday…”

* * *

Aang yawned as he finished yet another story, stretching his tired limbs as he did so. It was now incredibly late, close to midnight, and despite enjoying storytelling, he was exhausted. He glanced at Toph and saw that she was struggling to stay awake, trying to rub the sleep from her eyes.

“You don’t have to tell another one, Twinkletoes. I’m actually pretty tired now.” She stretched her arms out in front of her before letting them fall limply to her lap. “I must say, you did an excellent job. I didn’t get sick once the whole time you were talking.”

“I’m really glad. And I enjoyed telling you the stories too. I don’t get to tell air nomad stories often, and to be honest, you were the last person who I thought would want to hear them.” Aang chuckled.

“Eh, I was in a desperate position. But seriously, I did kinda enjoy them. Your people...pretty fascinating if you and the stories are anything to go by.” Toph rolled away from Aang and wrapped his blanket around herself, pulling it off his lap. “Thanks for the stories, Aang. I’m gonna try and sleep now. Here, of course. I don’t really feel like going back to my room.”

Aang was genuinely touched by her words. Hearing someone else call air nomads fascinating filled him with immense joy. He reached out and gently touched her shoulder. “Did you really mean that, Toph?”

“Yeah, I really am tired and don’t feel like going back to my room.” A pause passed between the two before she rolled over with a sigh. “Of course I meant what I said about your people and your stories.”

Aang couldn’t resist giving the girl a tight hug. “I...I really appreciate you saying that, Toph. It means more to me than you’ll ever know!” He smiled, releasing her. “I can tell you more stories in the morning! I have so many more.” 

“Emphasis on ‘in the morning’.” Toph rolled back to face the wall, the blanket cocooned around her. “Now, hush.”

“Right! Goodnight, T!” With a grin, Aang shut his eyes and began to dream about taking Toph to the places in his stories. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait, I got pretty busy this past month. I have not abandoned the fic!
> 
> As always, I hope you enjoyed reading. Please consider leaving a review :)

**Author's Note:**

> This is most likely going to be a mini series of loosely-related one-shots inspired by the song because for some reason, I have a lot of scenarios based on this song for Taang in my head. The rating miiiiight go up later.
> 
> Thanks so much for reading and a special thank you for leaving a kudos and reviewing if you enjoyed it!


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